Hosiery



Jan, 26,, 1932. EARNSHAW 1,842,592

HOSIERY Filed April 9, 1929.

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BY 'M TTORNEYS.

WITNESSES Patented Jan. 26, 1932 ARTHUR R. EARNSHAW, 0F 'WYNINEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA HOSIERY Application filed April- 9, 1929. Serial No. 353,848.

This invention relates to hosiery, and is directed toward preventing the initiation of runs at points in a stocking which are subject to greatest wear due to friction with the shoe, for example, at the toe point and at the top of the heel.

The foregoing desideratum I attain as hereinafter fully disclosed through formation of spot reinforcements having projection beyond the face of the fabric so as to preclude direct contact of the stocking proper with the shoe at the designated regions and to hold the fabric together, whereby the growth of any hole resulting from the breaking of a thread in the fabric, is minimized.

In the drawings, Fig. I is an elevation of one side of a half hose or sock conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. II is an elevation of the opposite side of the sock; and,

Fi III is a diagrammatic detail sectional view through the stocking fabric at the region of one of the spot reinforcements.

The stocking chosen for the purposes of illustration herein is of the seamless kind such as are ordinarily produced on circular knitting machines, and need not therefore be described in detail.

In carrying out my invention, I provide at points where it is desired to prevent formation of holes, e. g. at the toe end and at the top of the back of the heel of the stocking, spot reinforcements 5. These spot reinforcements 5 are shown in the present instance as being annular in configuration and raised or embossed to project beyond the face of the fabric as shown in Fig. III, thereby to effectively prevent direct contact of the stocking, when worn, with contiguous pora tions of the shoe. The reinforcements 5 may be formed either during the knitting of the stocking or subsequently as by sewing or crocheting, preferably with yarn separate from and heavier in gage than that constituting the body of the stocking, the stitching being so ordered as to lend an ornamental aspect to said reinforcements. The contiguration illustrated results from arrangement, in each case, of a series of radial stitches around a circle of ring stitches with the fabric of the stocking visible at the center of the reinforcement. Obviously yarns of difierent colors may be employed to contrast with the body color of the stocking and the reinforcements correspondingly emphasized to heighten their effect from the standpoint of ornamentation.

Although I have herein shown and particularly described my invention in connection with short hose or socks it will be apparent from the foregoing that it may be embodied with equal advantages in long or ladies hosiery. l urthermore, if desired or found expedient in practice, the spot reinforcements may be differently allocated than as shown herein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

As an article of manufacture a stocking having at the top portion of the toe and the upper part of the back of the heel small annular reinforcements outstanding from the face of the fabric, said reinforcements being located at points subject to greatest wear due to friction with the shoes, each of said reinfol-cements consisting of yarn different from that constituting the body of the stocking and embodying a series of radially arranged stitches surrounding a circle of ring stitches so as to be capable of holding the fabric together at the designated points.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 6th day of April, 1929.

ARTHUR R. EARNSHAVV. 

